The idea of a carefree childhood seems oddly antiquated. Sixteen-year-olds today have lived and been educated through an austerity and Covid sandwich, and there is good evidence – not least a widening disadvantage gap – to indicate that the generational scarring will be educational, economic and psychological.
Meanwhile, school and college costs are rising faster than funding and mental health concerns are increasing among the young. This is hardly the stuff on which to build ambitions for national prosperity.
This is where our sixth ‘Teacher Wellbeing Index’ lands: In a system where passionate and purposeful staff are reaching into their own pockets to fund sandwiches and socks for pupils. One in which it is relatively normal to lose sleep over children who aren’t reliably washed and fed. In which education staff carry the weight of uncertainty and distress as children wait months, maybe longer, for the specialist support they need and deserve.
